Supposedly
by Countess Millarca
Summary: All Sakura wanted was to have one normal date with Sasuke. But, apparently, that was too much to ask for. AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All rights belong to Kishimoto, Masashi.**

**A/N: Beware the OOCness and tread with care. Thou hast been warned.**

* * *

Sakura grunted under the weight of her burden, more panting than breathing. With great effort, she realigned Sasuke's body on her back, and took another slow step towards the Uchiha manor. Her muscles seethed under the exertion, protested against the very thought of walking farther, but she was so close now – _so very close_. Saliva pooled under her tongue, spilled past her lips to slaver down her chin, and she cursed the drunken hunk of a man she carried. _Again_. Sasuke had drunk himself blind yet another time, subsequently ruining another date. The reason for this mess poured out of his mouth in a slur of words, revolving around the same goddamned person.

"Itachi –" Sasuke's voice was more rasp than anything at this point. Sakura cursed him alongside the person whose name echoed in her ears after such grating reiteration. _Damn it, Sasuke… Is that the only name you know?_ She bit back another grunt with her curse. It came out as an ill-natured, growl-like sound, quite unbefitting a woman's throat. If the Uchiha's front gates weren't in her line of sight, she would have been tempted to sling him off and leave him right there – on the cold cement of the pavement for the morning sun to find him in all of his lame glory. A groan made its way out of her larynx as she discarded the thought before it even fully formed, but she didn't have time to contemplate it either way. A lean silhouette detached itself from the shadows; a male voice carried on the wind, brushed by her ears, cooler than the night breeze.

"Who is there?"

Sakura stilled, suddenly wary, alarmed. _Please let it not be his dad._ When she could make sense of whom she was actually seeing though, she wished it had been Sasuke's austere father – anyone _but_ the man who stood before her. Imposingly tall, despite not being all that taller than she, eyes slanted with apathy, lips a straight line, tangent to a downward curve, Itachi was there. Even though Sakura had only seen his face in photos, she could not mistake him for anyone else.

"You're…Itachi." Sakura blurted out his name before she could halt herself, laced with hints of contempt, intrinsic disrelish. If Itachi heard the notes of dislike composed into the sound, he chose to ignore it – but she could tell he heard it.

"What happened to my brother?"

His question gnawed on her nerves, chiseled the last threads of restraint left in her after tonight's disastrous events. _So _now_ he's worried about Sasuke?_ Raising her gaze to his level, she pinned him with a hard stare, her reply blunt, sharp-edged – and more than a little cynical.

"A severe inferiority complex towards you which then led to a high consumption of alcohol. _Again_."

Itachi showed no visible change in his mien, nothing but a twitch of lips when he spoke, slightly mocking, like his words themselves.

"That was awfully…insightful."

Teeth sank into her lower lip as Sakura tried not to react to his taunt. She met his eyes, undaunted, refused to lose in acerbity.

"Well, it's awfully…late, and I'm too tired to mince my words. Sasuke is passed out cold, so it's not like he'll remember any of my less than flattering remarks."

Itachi's brow rose in a thin arc, his sole reaction to his brother's condition. His eyes appraised Sasuke silently for the merest moment – and then he _almost_ sighed.

"Thank you for bringing Sasuke back."

Sakura lowered Sasuke to the ground, settling him against the iron gates, and decided to put an end to this charade. Once and for all. If Sasuke couldn't find the courage to face his problems then she would do it for him. It was well past the time someone did.

"I'd like to say it's no problem, but I've gone down this road one too many times." Itachi's brow rose in a higher arc at her biting tone and implications, but he waited for her to elaborate, seeming mildly curious. "You know, despite all of his bravado, Sasuke is quite a delicate individual – and, yes, I can be as honest as I damn well please since he won't remember this either."

A quirk of lips, wry amusement, Itachi remained quiet. If Sakura strained her eyes, she could definitely see it. Then his mouth split by a margin, flashing teeth, too white in the dark around them. "If there is something you'd like to say, by all means, do so." He crossed his arms in a languorous motion, as if to tell her _enlighten me_.

Sakura's lips emulated his, tilted upwards, more of a challenge, less than a smile. "How about you give him the time of day once in a while?" Smothering her anger was becoming more and more impossible by the minute. It burst out of her, unbidden, voice clipped, harsh accusation. "It was supposed to be our date today, yet all he did was talk about you then drink an absurdly large amount of sake, and ended up like this. _Again_."

Itachi's features did change then, marred with surprise, however imperceptibly. His voice teemed with disbelief and dryness. "You are blaming your failed date on me?"

"No." Sakura shook her head, eyes piercing, voice laden with displeasure. "I'm blaming my _yet again_ failed date on you."

If Itachi was the kind of person to indulge in undignified sounds such as snorts, Sakura was certain he would have. Eyes narrowed, brows furrowed, he stared at her, as if he was finding it hard to believe she had spouted such things to his face. "You do realize the ludicrousness of your claim?"

Sakura merely shrugged. "Like I said, I'm awfully tired – of everything that has to do with _you_."

Itachi's next words only served to heighten her ire. "Are you certain you are dating my brother?"

"Very funny." Laughter gurgled in her throat, but it was more directed at herself. "Sadly, I can't answer that with a strongly positive answer. You realize how that sounds like?"

It was rhetorical, spoken for the mere sake of it, but Itachi answered anyway, wrier than ever.

"Pathetic?"

Itachi might have found it beneath him to snort, but Sakura had no such qualms. Dripping with sarcasm, she smiled at him. "That's one way to put it, but I'd prefer the term _complicated_."

"Are you implying that _I_ am the complication in your _debated_ relationship?" The way he intoned those words irritated her frayed nerves.

Still, she retained that saccharine smile, returned his jab in full force. "Aren't you clever?"

Itachi shrugged, graceful, nothing alike Sakura's. "If you are dissatisfied with Sasuke's inattention towards you then why not end this _supposed_ relationship on your own?"

The gall of that man... Itachi simply knew how to press all of her wrong buttons. Sakura gritted her teeth, her fury reached its apogee. "Because I'm not dissatisfied with Sasuke. My problem lies with _you_ – and the abnormal influence you have on him."

"You're being eccentrically hostile to a person you have never met before based on alcohol-induced hypotheses – not to mention quite judgmental as well."

Cool, sharp-witted, Itachi incited her still, but she'd be damned if she backed down now.

"No, I'm being reasonably angry towards the source of my problematic love life – not to mention justifiably as well."

Before Itachi could utter an undoubtedly irksome response, Sasuke stirred. His eyes were hazed with confusion, his voice husky with inebriation. He took one look at Itachi and mumbled under his breath incoherently. "Itachi – why are you – I…wanna talk…" Then he passed out again.

Sakura directed a victorious smirk at Itachi, though it chafed to admit that she was right, in this particular case. "You were saying?"

Neck slanted, he utterly dismissed what had unfolded before his very eyes. "This proves nothing. If Sasuke is more focused on me than you then that means you are simply not trying enough." No, correction. Not only did he dismiss it, but he dared insinuate she was not woman enough to snare Sasuke's attention.

"Did you just…?" Sakura almost frothed, mouth agape. A hiss slithered against her tongue. She spat it at him, full of indignation. "You've got a lot of nerve, _Itachi_."

"Likewise, Sasuke's –" He paused, as if searching for an appropriate word. "_What_ exactly are you to him again?"

Sakura struggled not to bristle at his caustic tongue. "That would be his _girlfriend_ if it weren't for _you_."

A half-smirk touched the corners of his lips, slathered with derision. "I must commend you for sheer tenacity at least."

"Likewise, Sasuke's –" She copied his example. "_What_ exactly are you to him again?" Taunt for taunt. Fire for fire. "Surely _not_ his brother. If you were then you wouldn't have caused his complex in the first place. Some big brother you are."

Itachi's poise stiffened, assumed rigid qualities. "At least when I insult him, I do it to his face."

It was too much, the last straw. Sakura discarded all niceties, took off the silken gloves. The fact that she had lasted this long was a miracle in and of itself.

"You're a jackass."

Itachi's smirk found its way back on his lips, one tilt of warped amusement, as if she had lost the fight just now.

"So it has come to base name calling now? I don't think I approve of you either as my brother's girlfriend." He all but hummed, thoroughly enjoying this. "And I'll make sure Sasuke knows this when he wakes up."

Sakura all but sneered, finding his threat far too inane. "You do that. I bet he'll be too ecstatic that you're _actually_ talking to him to pay any attention to what you're saying."

He seemed ready to begin their altercation anew at that, but another voice resounded in the dead of night, interrupted the coming mayhem.

"Itachi. What is this ruckus?"

Sakura clamped up, lost her belligerence, recognizing to whom the voice belonged easily.

"Nothing, father. Sasuke –" Itachi's glance slashed through her, bade her to remain silent and unseen, and Sakura nodded, all too happy to oblige him on this occasion. "– has returned and we were talking for a bit."

"Talk inside then. Don't disturb the neighbors." The _click _of the door closing announced Fugaku's retreat into the mansion. Sakura didn't even have time to exhale in relief before Itachi's voice lashed against her.

"I think you have overstayed your visit, Miss _Supposed_ Girlfriend."

Sakura ground her teeth, but couldn't dispute him. "Take care of Sasuke." She turned her back to leave, hissed between clenched teeth. "Goodnight, jackass."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This isn't a **_**new**_** chapter, but what got cut off from the first chapter for some reason. I should have double-checked yesterday… Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, alerts, and faves! They made my day. XD**

* * *

Shisui gazed at his cousin, sitting in a chair on the other side of his desk. Sasuke looked absolutely miserable – ashen complexion, black crescents under his eyes, strong aura of dejection. Leaning back in his leather chair, Shisui scribbled a few words in his notebook.

"Could you not do _that_?" Sasuke's voice bled irritation. Shisui threw a pleasant smile toward his cousin, unperturbed, still taking notes.

"You visit me during office hours, Sasuke."

A groan came from Sasuke's side – then he snapped. "It's break time, Shisui."

Shisui's smile remained perfectly etched on his mouth. "A consultant can't differentiate between office hours and break time when a patient needs him."

Sasuke rubbed his eyes, pondered the merits of murdering his cousin, but eventually conceded defeat. There was simply no way to win against his cousin when Shisui found a situation to be entertaining. "Alright, you've had your fun. Cut the bullshit now, Shisui."

Though Shisui didn't relinquish his notepad, his eyes flashed with mirth, validating Sasuke's theory. As long as his cousin thought it would bother Sasuke, he'd keep up the psych consultant routine. "What troubles you this fine day, dear cousin?"

Deciding to ignore Shisui's infuriating stunt for the time being, Sasuke opted for sharing what made him seek his cousin's advice. "I think I messed up _again_ in front of Itachi yesterday, but I can't remember what happened. Sakura's also mad at me for some reason. She won't pick up my calls all morning."

"I see." Shisui's fingers slid across his jawline as he contemplated Sasuke's revelation solemnly. "Memory loss, insecurity issues, relationship problems." He gave Sasuke a curt nod. "Quite serious, indeed."

"Shisui…" Sasuke's brows twitched, his eyes gleamed with warning. "I'm really not in the mood."

His cousin tapped a finger against his chin, seeming thoughtful. "Anger management issues as well."

Finally losing his patience, Sasuke slammed his palm against the hard wood of Shisui's desk. "Damn it, Shisui!"

Shisui chuckled, abandoning the act, having accomplished his objective. Sasuke was well and thoroughly pissed, which made for a very amusing sight.

"You know, Itachi's office is four floors below, in the legal department. Are you sure you didn't just mix up the floors?" He paused when Sasuke murmured something incomprehensible, but it was uttered so low that Shisui couldn't quite catch it. Hence he resumed talking, deriving more pleasure the more Sasuke fidgeted with nervousness. "As for Sakura-chan, shouldn't you be using your break time to go over to her workplace with some flowers and apologize for what you don't actually remember doing, but appear as if you do? Women are endearing like that. All you have to do is say sorry and look pathetic while doing so – which shouldn't be too difficult, in your case."

A sullen glare clashed with his twinkling gaze. "Don't act like you don't know what's going on…" Sasuke oozed indignation, but he was too awkward. Shisui could hear the silent notes of plea meshed in his cousin's voice. "Itachi must have told you something – and Sakura…well, you know how I feel about her."

The reason for Sasuke's visit made sense now, not that Shisui hadn't guessed it already. "Ah, yes, he did mention what an ordeal it was to get you into the house undetected by Fugaku-san. Not to mention…" He glanced at Sasuke with almost pity before he completed his sentence. "You threw up all over his favorite shirt."

Wide-eyed, drenched in disbelief, Sasuke dropped his guard. "I…didn't, did I?" It only lasted a moment. "If you're messing with me again, Shisui, I swear –"

Shisui was shaking his head before Sasuke could even finish, truly pitying him now. "Not this time, Sasuke."

Just like that, Sasuke deflated, all the fight wrenched out of him. "I'm screwed…"

A sigh slipped past Shisui's lips. "It's because of that attitude that you keep getting into these messes."

Sasuke's head snapped toward him, quizzical, that plea for help slathered on his features, and Shisui had no choice but to give in. His cousin was just too hopeless to be left to his own devices.

"You were never close with Itachi since you hardly ever saw him. He went to a private boarding school then left to study in the States, so you don't actually _know_ him. Now he's back, and you've spent the whole last year tiptoeing your way around him. Fugaku-san might have pressured you with Itachi's accomplishments and urged you to be more like your perfect older brother, but you never took the chance to try and form a relationship with him, only try to catch up to him."

His helping hand was brushed aside by Sasuke in his ignorance. "So you're saying this is _my_ fault? Itachi's never cared for me either. I only saw him on holidays and such, but he never acted as a big brother. Ever since he came back, he spends most of his time working. What am I supposed to do?"

Shisui sighed again. Sasuke was simply beyond any help, but Shisui just couldn't leave him alone – not when Sasuke was looking at him like a kicked puppy. But he also couldn't not tease him a little bit either.

"Walk into his office, demand his attention, and be the huge pain in the ass we all know you to be yet love you despite of it?" His eyes flashed with a wicked glint, half-smirk on his lips, insinuating this was what his cousin was doing at the moment – to Shisui. "Sounds familiar?"

"Thanks, Shisui." Sasuke's tone couldn't be more sarcastic even if he tried.

Shisui winked at him, as if Sasuke had paid him a compliment, humoring his cousin's scowling face. Then a thought struck him about the whole affair as he recalled Itachi's side of the story when they'd had their morning coffee together.

"Itachi isn't as scary as you think him to be. Admittedly, he was pretty pissed about the whole mess, but he was also amused. Do you happen to know why? He mentioned something about whipped dogs and short leashes and hissing cats that made no sense whatsoever…"

Brows knit into a frown, Sasuke was taken aback for the barest moment – then he groaned. "I think he must've been talking about Sakura…" He clutched his temples with despondency. "What the fuck happened last night?"

Shisui was tempted to attempt unveiling this mystery, but he was having too much fun to take it upon serious deliberation. "Have you considered mediating your drinking habits? There's a wonderful program for alcoho-"

"Save it, Shisui!"

This time, it was a fist Sasuke banged against Shisui's desk. If glares could kill, Shisui would be six feet under. Still, Shisui smiled as if nothing had occurred in true Shisui fashion. Then he took it one step further, trod into territory best not be trespassed.

"Talk to Sakura-chan, Sasuke – and while you're at it, why don't you try being honest with her? As in, finally coming clean with her? How much longer do you plan on stringing her along?"

Sasuke reeled back at that, clammed up like a shellfish. "That's none of your business…" His features took on a pallid shade, torn between wanting to talk and dreading the matter at the same time. "You don't know her, Shisui. Sakura is…well, she's –"

"Scary?" Shisui provided, ever helpful and smiling.

"She's my _friend_." Sasuke cut him with another glare, riled up but quite vulnerable about the subject. "She's the only one who's been there for me whenever I need her. I can't just tell her that I'm…you know."

Shisui did know, but unless Sasuke brought it up on his own, he'd be subtle. Just this once. "But she thinks you're more than _just_ friends. If you keep this up, you're going to lose her." Then he stretched his muscles, putting an end to the discussion, since it seemed Sasuke wasn't ready to indulge in _that_ discussion yet. "And break time is over. I'll be more than happy to continue this conversation, though."

"No thanks," Sasuke bit out as he stood to leave, secretly thankful for Shisui's perceptiveness.

Shisui's voice stopped him in his tracks as he was about to exit his cousin's office though. "Sasuke, I gave you my professional advice, but if you want my personal advice?"

"Yeah?"

"Grow a pair."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I should have made it clear this is an ItaSaku, yeah. Thank you for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites! They're greatly appreciated. XD**

* * *

Ino watched as Sakura stabbed a tomato slice, more abusing her poor salad than actually eating it.

She whistled, half-amused, half-wary. "You're scarier than even Tsunade-sensei today…"

Sakura's glare could rival said attending trauma surgeon's on a _bad_ _day_ – and that said it all. "I don't wanna talk about it, Ino."

"The life of an intern sucks enough – and your pissy mood is making it worse." Ino sighed when Sakura's lips pursed stubbornly, tried a different approach. "You'll mess up big time if you're distracted, Sakura."

That seemed to have the desired reaction. Sakura let go of her chopsticks, and slumped back into her chair, head hung low. "I had another failed date."

Ino winced with sympathy at the rawness in Sakura's voice. "That bad, huh?"

Sakura snorted. "Worse." Her bones cracked with an unpleasant sound when she flung her neck back. "I met the infamous Itachi when I dropped off Sasuke this time."

"Really?" Ino's lips curled, her eyes flashed with curiosity.

Sakura pinned her with a droll stare. "Wipe that smirk off your face, Ino. He's nothing like the photos you've seen."

"But he looked so hot."

Sakura waved a hand in dismissal, having expected this reply. It was Ino, after all.

"Not that."

Ino leaned closer, that smirk growing into a sly grin. "He's hotter?"

"He's a jackass."

Sakura's flat remark had no effect on Ino. The blonde shrugged as she leaned back into her chair.

"That doesn't make him any less hot."

A round cucumber piece was flung at Ino along with Sakura's groan. "Take your mind off the gutter for one minute." Too bad Ino's reflexes were as good as ever.

"Fine." Ino laughed as she righted herself, amusement rolling off of her in lilting peals. "What did he do that has you so riled up?"

Giving in, Sakura pushed her salad away, losing what little appetite she had left. "It's not what he did, but how he acted and what he said. I've never been so insulted by a complete stranger before." Then she repeated the story, quite vividly.

Ino listened, made no effort to hold back her grins or jabs, had to duck a few more chopped vegetables, and by the time Sakura finished talking, had a whole new image of Itachi – one quite favorable for the older Uchiha. "Uh, don't take this the wrong way, but you kinda provoked him?"

Sakura hissed with disbelief, her face a mask of outrage. "You're taking _his_ side?"

"Calm down." Shaking her head, Ino corrected her wording, though she doubted it would make much difference. "Geez, I'm not taking sides here. I'm just saying that you weren't very courteous either."

Sakura's gaze thinned, full of suspicion, if a bit condescending. "You just can't get past the fact that he's hot, can you? That's why you're always dating losers."

Ino's jaw dropped. "Hey! Leave my personal life out of this. Yours isn't any better…" She graced Sakura with a too knowing stare, hurled the insult right back at her. "Chasing after Sasuke ever since our freshmen year. And where has that gotten you, hm?"

Sakura's features hardened. It was one thing to hear this from that jackass and another to hear it from her best friend. "We _were_ on a date, damn it! You sound just like that jackass now."

"I'm just saying that the jackass might've had a point there."

Logic dictated that Sakura should bend a little and consider Ino's words, but hell would freeze over before she admitted that jackass was even slightly right. "You're supposed to make my mood better, not worse. Some friend you are."

Ino exhaled a sigh. "I'm telling you this _because_ I'm your friend." As much as she didn't want to be the one crushing Sakura's hopes, she couldn't leave her friend with her disillusions forever. "I don't know, Sakura. I mean, yeah, Sasuke's hot, and you know how I am with hot guys, but something wasn't right from the start with him."

A disgruntled grimace touched Sakura's forehead when Ino mentioned this again. She was sick and tired of this vague flaw that Sasuke supposedly possessed in Ino's opinion. Her friend couldn't even pinpoint what it was, just that Sakura should give up on him because of her _hunch_.

"Don't start again, Ino. You're just still sore that he rejected you in our second year."

It was Ino's turn to snort. "Oh please. I got over that ages ago." Then her gaze mellowed, became softer, beseeching. "All I'm saying is that you need to wake up and smell the coffee. If Sasuke was really interested then he'd be here apologizing for ruining your date, but I don't see him anywhere, do you?"

As much as Sakura didn't like it, she couldn't deny it. Ino had won this round. "Oh shut up." Then she picked up her forgotten salad and stabbed another tomato slice.

* * *

The sky was dark, full of artificial lights, when Ino and Sakura finished their shift and exited the hospital they interned at, but a cheerful holler pierced their ears before they could take one more step.

"Sakura-chan, Ino!"

Naruto grinned at them with a freshness that a paramedic shouldn't have after a long, exhausting day on the road. But that was his charming point, Sakura mused, and chuckled. Just seeing his smile made people feel better for some reason.

"Hey, Naruto. Getting off your shift?"

He nodded with enthusiasm, lips stretching into that smile Sakura was so fond of. "Just now. Wanna go for drinks?"

Sakura exchanged a glance with Ino, tired but debating his offer, when Ino made the decision for both of them. "Sure, why not?"

But Naruto's attention was diverted elsewhere, across the street, his smile growing wider. "Hey, Sasuke! Great timing. We're going for drinks. You're coming, right?"

Thin-lipped, posture rigid, Sakura gazed at the black haired man making his way towards them. A flash of surprise spread over Sasuke's features, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. Before he could speak, Ino decided for all of them again, throwing her arms casually over Sakura's and Sasuke's shoulders.

"Yup, we're all coming. Let's go!"

* * *

"Man, today sucked." Naruto gulped down his drink, unusually dismal, lips downcast. "We lost two guys on the way and almost lost another one. Shizune-sensei said he's critical last I checked."

Ino took the last sip of her drink as well, expression dimmed at his mention. "The guy from that construction accident?"

Naruto nodded as he refilled their glasses. "Yeah, that's the one." Then his brows creased into a frown, his attention focused on the silent, drinking duo of their company. "Anyway, what's up with you two?"

Sasuke and Sakura had seated themselves as far apart from each other as they could, and had consumed twice the amount of alcohol as usual. Though, perhaps that was due to the fact that they only parted their lips to drink.

Ino leaned to his side, whispered in Naruto's ear, yet loud enough to be heard by everyone. "They had a _date_."

Before he could stop himself, Naruto chuckled. "Another one of those, huh?"

For the first time ever since they had sat down, Sakura's voice graced them, albeit with a good dose of irritation.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

As if lanced by something sharp, Naruto winced, shrunk away from her. "Nothing, just…nothing." His eyes found Sasuke, passed him a message, but it was too quick for Sakura to infer what it meant. Sasuke, apparently, understood, because he was talking the next moment.

"Look, Sakura…" He cleared his throat, struggling with whatever it was he wanted to say. His body tensed as he inhaled sharply – then he let it out in one quick breath.

"I'm sorry."

If Sakura had to describe his tone, she would call it strained – and a tad insipid. The emotion coating the word was all wrong. It felt as if he was apologizing because he simply _had to. _She stared at him hard, taken aback by her assessment of his apology. Maybe Ino was right, maybe that jackass was right. No. She refused to even go there. Sakura didn't care if she was being selfish, but she needed to hear a heartfelt apology at the very least.

"That's it?"

Sasuke's eyes widened, as if he wasn't expecting her to demand more. And why should he? Sakura always made things easier for him by being accommodating to everything he needed, whether voiced or not. But no more.

Sasuke paled; Sakura waited; Ino's mouth formed a silent 'o'; and Naruto hollered in his most loud voice."Time for another round! And keep them coming!"

Just like that, tension unraveled. Sakura couldn't stay mad when Sasuke looked like a ghost. Perhaps, she had pushed him too far in her quest to receive something from him that he was never inclined to give. His family pressured him enough; he didn't need to feel pressure by the people he called friends, too. But that was the source of the problem, wasn't it? Sakura didn't want to be counted in the friend category. For whatever insane reason, she liked Sasuke, despite his hot and cold attitude. Sakura simply had a thing for injured animals, wanted to nurse them, heal them – and Sasuke was exactly that.

"It's alright. I'm just tired." Her voice had softened, sweet tones. She scooted closer, shared her warmth with him, told him they were fine – even if they weren't. It was the right choice. Sasuke's smile was genuine, neither forced nor practiced – and that's all that mattered in the end.

Naruto lunged for them then, crushed them in a tight embrace Sakura could have gone without, but she didn't protest. Sasuke didn't either, which was peculiar, worth of further consideration. Ino's gasp drew her attention, and she lost her train of thought, but when she asked her what was wrong, Ino laughed nervously and poured her a drink. If Sakura had been more insistent, Ino would have told her what she _thought_ she saw later, but Sakura didn't pursue the matter – and Ino decided it was best to stay out of it since she was the only one not affected by what she had witnessed.

* * *

Naruto and Ino had called it an early night, leaving Sakura with Sasuke alone. Sakura had half a mind to believe Ino had done it on purpose. There was something _different_ about the way she kept glancing at Sasuke, Naruto, and her, all night long, as if she knew something Sakura didn't. Whatever it was, it would have to wait until tomorrow, though. Sasuke was pretty much drunk. _Again_. The thought that they left her with him for this reason crossed her mind as well. Sasuke's slurring voice was so familiar that she swore she heard it more often than his normal voice.

"I threw up all over Itachi."

The mere mention of that name on Sasuke's lips was enough to rouse Sakura's anger, but not this time, not in this context. A bark of laughter escaped her throat.

"Oh man, I wish I could have seen that."

Sasuke was swaying, leaning towards her more and more.

"I don't remember it either. Shisui had to tell me…"

She burst out in full blown laughter at that.

"It's not that funny…" Breathy and sullen, his voice made her want to laugh more, but she took pity on him. Sakura wrapped an arm around his waist, drew him against her.

"Your brother is a jackass." She brushed aside a few locks falling in his eyes, caressed his cheek. "I don't get it. What's so good about him that you need to try so hard?"

His breath fanned on her neck when he spoke, sultry and hot. "He's…_Itachi_."

She hummed, ruffled his hair, leisure strokes of fingers. "And you're _Sasuke_."

"Thanks, Sakura." Warmth colored his tone, lips curving against her skin, smiling. It was sweet, what she needed to hear from him, instead of that tasteless _I'm sorry_ from before. She remained quiet for a few minutes, savoring this closeness, relishing the broken barriers between them, but she had to speak her mind, precisely now that Sasuke was in this mood.

"Sasuke, you know I like you, but I'm tired. I –" But then something wet and sticky glided on the juncture of her neck and shoulder, and a small squeal slipped past her lips. She peered down at the man nested against her side, spoke his name softly.

"Sasuke?"

He grunted in response, but Sakura could see he was passed out cold, slightly drooling on her. _Again_.

* * *

Sakura's skin was clammy with trepidation. She had managed to carry Sasuke home, but she now found herself debating whether to leave him outside his front door or grab his keys and take him inside. Chewing on her bottom lip, she contemplated her choices. If she left him here, he could catch a cold or get mugged or severely criticized by his father in the morning. She really didn't have a choice. Mustering her courage, she fished for his keys, unlocked the door, and hoisted him up for a stealthy intrusion. It was easy, she kept repeating to herself. Sakura knew where his room was, and it was even on the ground floor, unlike his parents' bedroom. But she was tipsy. _Why did I have to drink tonight of all nights? _Mentally cursing herself wouldn't help her in any way, but Sakura needed to distract her mind. What didn't need distraction was her footing – and Sakura always had the worst of luck.

One mere slip of her ankle, and she found herself flattened on her back, with Sasuke's body feeling heavier than ever atop her. _This is getting ridiculous… _No matter how much she maneuvered, Sakura couldn't find a way to get Sasuke off of her without making more noise – and she didn't have the luxury of waking him up. Even if she did manage that, he'd be too unreliable in his state. Quiet footsteps registered in her perception then, close, coming closer. Dread infested her insides, settled in a queasy mass low in her abdomen. _Fuck…gods…please…let it not be his dad. _But it wasn't. Itachi stared down at her, sprawled across the floor under his brother and skirt hiked up her thighs, expression unreadable, then turned on his heels and began walking away.

"Wait." Her whisper rang in her ears, desperate, donned in plea. As if in slow motion, Itachi stopped moving, but didn't turn around, merely gave her his back.

"Help me." It chafed to even ask help from him, much more beg – but beg she did. "_Please_."

Perhaps it was that _please_, probably was, but Sakura was beyond caring at this point. All she cared about was that Itachi _did_ hearken to her call for help. Pulling Sasuke off of her, Itachi made for his brother's room with Sakura close behind him. He made it so easy and effortless that Sakura wanted to curse him on principle alone. Of course, he didn't waste time in giving her a valid reason. All he had to do was open his mouth.

"If this was your poor attempt to convince me that you _are_ dating my brother, I have to admit, it was pretty daring."

"Cut the jokes. You _know_ I wasn't trying to have sex with your unconscious brother, in the middle of your living room, with your parents sleeping upstairs."

Sakura enunciated her point by making all these gestures that she really couldn't blame anyone for laughing at her – not that Itachi laughed in her face. No. It was worse than that. A half-smirk tugged on his lips, more taunting than anything he could have said.

"Do I?"

Sakura didn't play this game with him this time. "Once a jackass, always a jackass," was all she spat at him, cutting their repartee short. She made sure Sasuke was comfortable in his bed then made for the door, as if Itachi wasn't even there. His voice stopped her at the threshold, low tones and cynicism and a lick of amusement.

"And I suppose this is your way of saying _thank you_?"

Sakura's teeth sank into her lower lip, nose scrunched up in distaste – she didn't want to acknowledge him, but he had earned that. Her nails dug into the soft skin of her palms as she pushed the phrase out of her mouth with herculean effort.

"_Thank you_. I'm leaving. Goodnight. _Jackass_."

She grit her teeth and flung the door open, only to close it again, horror crawling into the pit of her stomach. _Oh crap…Sasuke's father is coming down the stairs! I'm so screwed! _A sound emerged from her throat, more shock than gasp, trapped between shut lips. Sakura acted on instinct, turned around, and dove forward – right into Itachi. They fell to the floor in the midst of sibilant curses and tangled limbs. Fearing more the reaction of the man outside the room than the one beneath her, Sakura pressed her hand against his mouth, thighs straddling his waist, naked skin gliding against his hip bones – then silence, clashing gazes, strange awareness. His irises were too black, his sclera too white, amusement and something else, darker, luring. Slowly, warily, Sakura removed her hand from his mouth, let it hover above his lips, on a whim of trust. His voice was nothing but a murmur, huskiness sliding against her fingertips.

"Quite daring, indeed."

Shivers crawled down her spine with the thrill of the moment. "Keep quiet."

"Bossy as well." Of course, Itachi didn't heed her, but at least he didn't struggle.

If Sakura's mind wasn't preoccupied with the presence of Sasuke's father outside, she'd have taken better note of things – things she'd hate to recall later. As it was, her ears stretched to devour the barest sliver of sound, her attention the furthest away from the warm body lying beneath her, between the seam of her thighs. A hiss of words slithered down her tongue, barely audible.

"Yes, yes, I'm delightful, I know. Can you _please_ keep it down now? If your father comes in here –"

Itachi did move then. Hands on her back, she was pulled forward, fell on him with a _thump_. The sound of the door handle squeaking was heard, but the door remained closed. She stole a glance above her shoulder in her panic, saw Itachi's foot pressing against the lacquered wood, then buried her face in his neck, half-relieved, half-shaking. Minutes could have passed since then. Sakura wasn't sure when Sasuke's father went away, but he must have. What she _could_ perceive was the rhythm of her heartbeat, the scent of fresh pine and male, hard muscle pressing against her breasts, her stomach, low – and lower still. She must have glided quite low on his body when Itachi pulled her against him. Sakura didn't know if she wanted to die, slap him, or thank him. Cool lips brushed by her ear then, raised tingles on her skin, and she damn near yelped in surprise.

"I'd advise leaving from the kitchen's door."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites! They feed my muse. XD**

* * *

Shisui contemplated Itachi over the rim of his coffee cup. Half-lidded dissection. His cousin exuded satisfaction, from the quirk of his lips to that glint in his eyes – and most importantly, Itachi had chosen to add milk in his coffee. The only occasion Itachi didn't take his coffee black, preferred a smoother taste, was when he partook in the drink for pleasure, not out of necessity. Itachi was enjoying his morning coffee for reasons _unknown_ to Shisui – and that was something Shisui needed to rectify effective immediately.

"You seem to be in an unusually good mood today." Shisui could tell his offhanded comment wasn't received as such, was too obvious and well-targeted not to, but Itachi didn't seem to mind. The quirk of his lips slanted more, that glint in his eyes became brighter. Shisui reassessed his estimation. Itachi was in a _really_ good mood.

"Someone broke into the house yesterday."

It was uttered in such a casual manner that Shisui stared at him aghast for a fragment of a second.

"_What_? Was anything stolen, anyone injured?"

"I wouldn't say stolen…" Itachi took a slow sip of his coffee, relished the rich, creamy texture. "More like lost."

Shisui blinked. "It's too early in the morning for your riddles." Clearly, Itachi was not referring to a real break-in.

"Dignity." There was such delectation threaded in that one word, such pure ravishment. Shisui chuckled, eyes alight with cognition, making the allusive connection.

"Oh? Let me hazard a guess. Sakura-chan?" His chuckle grew when Itachi graced him with a speculative glance, as if he hadn't expected him to be as perceptive or well informed. "Sasuke came crying to me the other day and spilled the beans."

Itachi's arced brow made him chuckle even more. "Alright, not _exactly_ crying, but you know what I mean." There was no need to elaborate on that, they both knew. Besides, Shisui's curiosity was gnawing at him. "Attention-starved brother aside for now, what happened with Sakura-chan?"

Itachi's mouth split wider, rows of white teeth and amusement. "Are you interested?"

"Not in that way, though I _could_ be." If it was anyone else but Itachi, Shisui wouldn't have added the last part. Not that Itachi wasn't aware of that. Shisui had sunk his fangs into this little morsel Itachi had laid for him, swallowed both hook and bait. "But something tells me _you_ are."

Itachi neither confirmed nor denied it, but his answer told Shisui all he needed to know. "She's amusing."

"She's also Sasuke's girlfriend."

It was a statement, but a hollow one, with no gravity, something Shisui pointed out simply to test his theory, gouge Itachi's involvement and interest.

"Is she now?"

Even though it sounded like a question, Shisui was cogent of the hidden connotations. How Itachi's mouth curled, sarcasm molded into an expression, was answer enough. Shisui really couldn't compete with Itachi or play the games he was so fond of in this case.

Drowning a chuckle, Shisui shook his head, abandoned all subterfuge. "Since when have you known?"

Itachi's silence was more telling than even if he had answered this particular question. "Right." Shisui kind of pitied Sasuke then – but he was far too amused to lend a helping hand this time around.

* * *

"You look like hell…" Ino's remark couldn't be truer. Sakura didn't even argue, merely grunted.

"I feel worse."

Somehow, seeing Sakura so dejected, roused Ino's guilt. She really didn't want to get involved, but she couldn't stay an idle observer either. Hence she tested the waters for now.

"Look, uh, sorry for ditching you yesterday, but it seemed like you had things to talk about."

"Yeah, about that…" Sakura heaved a sigh, green eyes dull, weary. "I tried, I really did."

"I'm sensing there's a _but_ coming." Ino nudged her sympathetically.

"He fell asleep on me at the most crucial moment." Pause. Another heavy sigh. "Then I had to carry him home." Deliberate omission. Sakura didn't think she could handle Ino's excitement if she shared what ensued.

Ino's brows shot up in disbelief. "_Again_?" Sakura didn't even reprimand her for the rise in her volume, which struck Ino with a greater wave of guilt, pried her lips open. "You know, I didn't want to be the one telling you this, but it doesn't seem like Sasuke will man up any time soon."

This succeeded in attracting Sakura's attention at least, breathing some life into her. "Tell me what?" A spark of puzzlement gleamed in her eyes, gave them a glossier shade – which made Ino falter. Maybe she shouldn't get involved, after all. But Sakura was hanging from her lips like a parched woman who's been offered a drop of water.

"I think, well, I mean… I'm not sure, but –"

Sakura's patience was wearing thinner the more Ino delayed. "What is it, Ino?"

It was now or never. Ino took in a deep breath – and laid it on her. "Have you considered the possibility that Sasuke is simply not interested…in general?"

Confusion snaked into Sakura's mind, knotted with denial. Ino couldn't be possibly implying _that_. "I'm not sure I follow you, Ino. What do you mean _in general_?"

Ino could read Sakura's expression all too well, knew that unless she put it on the table, Sakura would refuse to even ponder the possibility. "Like, _in women_?"

Despite her sinking suspicion, shock was too mild a word for the emotion spearing through Sakura's mind. "Wha-? Ino!"

"I mean, it's a possibility." Calm voice. Calm gaze. "Just think about it for a second."

It served to cool Sakura's rising temper. "Where did that even come from?" Eyes narrow, cusp-edged, she stared at Ino closely – and Ino had to change tactics.

"I'm just saying that _might_ be the case. Have you ever seen him with a woman?"

"Have you ever seen him with a man?" Sakura's retort was too quick, almost breathless, but the way Ino averted her gaze, bit her lip, made her mouth fall open in shock. "You _have_?"

Ino's throat felt too dry for words. "Maybe…"

"Ino." Sakura cut her with a no-nonsense glare, demanded more of a reasoning, tangible proof. "Stop beating around the bush." And Ino couldn't help but give in.

"I don't know what I saw, but I saw _something_. Anyway, you should ask him about it. I just thought you needed to know." Ino was already walking away before she even finished, cringing inside.

"So I'm supposed to ask him if he's gay based on _something_ you saw that I have no clue about?" Sakura called after her, distressed and a more than a little annoyed, but Ino flung her reply behind her back and ran to her patients.

"Do whatever you want. For the record, _I_ did my part as a friend."

* * *

Sakura savored the crisp air filtering through her lungs with each breath she took. The wind always felt cleaner on the hospital's rooftop for some reason. She stared down at the city laid before her eyes – thronged streets, sparkling lights, multicolored – always moving, and yet she was standing still, felt as if she had been living her life like this for a very long time. A voice startled her out of her dark reverie, familiar, warm.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto smiled at her, and she couldn't help but smile back, though not as brightly as he did. "What are you doing here?"

"I just needed some air. You?"

"I needed a smoke." He laughed at her strung features, prepared himself for another anti-smoking lecture, but it never came. It was peculiar, awakened his worry, and he hurried his steps, came to stand beside her, his cigarette break forgotten. "Are you alright? Did anything happen?"

"Oh nothing in particular." Before she could even process her words, they poured out of her mouth in blunt sentences, almost self-mocking. "Sasuke passed out when I was about to have a heart to heart with him. I accidentally molested his jackass of a brother. Ino told me Sasuke might be gay." Then her lips stretched into a smile that hurt her cheeks. "How are _you_?"

Naruto's mouth opened and closed, once, twice – but no words came out. "You molested _Itachi_?" he then blurted out, blue eyes aglow with wonder.

Sakura thought he sounded…impressed. Laughter built in her throat, bubbled and swelled, until she couldn't hold it back any longer.

"_That's_ what you comment about?"

Naruto laughed with her, satisfied, more than a little relieved. "Well, out of all you've said, it's the…weirdest."

A snort escaped her, more nasal than throaty. "Sasuke being gay isn't?"

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, discomfort rolling off of him, and Sakura slapped a hand to her mouth, realizing her blunder belatedly.

"Oh… I didn't mean it in that way. I mean, I know that you are, but…" she trailed off, biting her lip, inwardly cursing herself. She just had to go and possibly insult the one person who was always selflessly kind to her. An abashed smile touched her lips, and she gazed at him under her lashes, apologetic. "I'm making this worse, aren't I?"

"Nah, don't worry about it." Naruto's smile was as natural as the light breeze, dispelled any anxious feelings racking her mind. "Anyway, how did you end up pawing Itachi?"

Her nose wrinkled none too prettily. "It's a long story. Let's just say that I had no other choice at the moment. It was that or facing Sasuke's dad."

Naruto's grimace mirrored Sakura's perfectly. "Yikes."

"Yup." Her lips made a popping sound, and she licked them, suddenly out of words.

Naruto took the chance to light up a cigarette, though Sakura would bet he simply wished to avoid looking at her when she heard the matter he broached next.

"Look, about Sasuke…" He paused, took a slow drag, of both his cigarette and his words. "If he really is, and I'm not saying that he is, what are you gonna do about it?"

Sakura could do nothing but shrug, feel a tad bitter, and resign herself to reality. "There's nothing I can do about it, if that's the case, right? I mean, I like him, but I can't change his preferences. I just wish he'd been upfront about it right from the start."

"So you won't cut him out of your life or anything?" Hints of curiosity swam in Naruto's voice, the blue of his eyes, the smoke he exhaled.

"You're still my friend, aren't you?" Sakura's smile was too sweet, her eyes scintillated with a warm light when she turned to look at him.

Naruto rubbed his nape again, made a sound low in his throat, even blushed a little. "You're really cool, Sakura-chan. Sasuke's an idiot either way."

"Thanks, Naruto." Sakura grinned, both awkward and pleased.

"So…" Naruto put out his cigarette then peered at her, almost a twinkle in his eye now. "How _much_ did you get to feel?"

Sakura's mouth fell open, caught by surprise, and she swatted his shoulder playfully. "I can't believe you just asked that!"

"What?" A shrugging of shoulders, quite natural, he grinned at her. "Itachi's hot." It was too open yet slightly naughty – and Sakura groaned.

"Not you, too."

* * *

Sakura shuffled in her chair. Cold sweat trickled down her spine, nervousness laved her bones. Her heart fluttered in her ribcage, thumped out a wild tempo. She felt as if everyone in the cafeteria was staring at her – which was ridiculous. No one cared. People working in Uchiha Inc. were too busy to even notice her, especially during their break time. Still, Sakura couldn't help but feel eyes on her, shiver at the strange sensation. Large hands settled on her shoulders then – and she nearly jumped out of her chair.

"Could that be…Sakura-chan?"

She swallowed back the scream that never left her throat, and looked up, meeting smiling eyes and thin lips and Uchiha Shisui.

"Shisui-san! Don't scare me like that."

By the time he took a seat across her, Sakura's heart had regained its normal rhythm and her lips had curved into a smile.

"I haven't seen you in a while. Why didn't you tell me you were coming today?" It was endearing, how he almost pouted, yet still didn't appear like a ten year old but more like a neglected lover.

"I'm sorry. It was a last minute decision. I just needed to talk with Sasuke…in a place where they don't serve alcohol."

"I knew I liked you for a reason." Shisui's laughter was infectious. "How's my imbecile for a cousin been treating you?"

Feeling a lot more at ease, comfortable in her own skin, Sakura slipped in the mood to joke with him. "Which one?"

"Ouch." He made a grimace as if burned then his eyes gleamed with expectation and teasing. "You do know my phone number, right?"

Sakura found herself laughing harder, even kicking his shin lightly. "Shisui-san!"

"What? Can't blame a man for trying. You're my dream woman."

Shisui even appeared sincere while spouting such nonsense that Sakura pitied all those women who didn't know him and fell for his act. Her lips tightened in a mock-stern expression as she glared at him under curled lashes.

"Now you're just teasing me."

He flashed her a grin, a total contrast to his words. "I'm serious…well, as much as I can be, anyway."

Another voice stole the words she was about to say, languorous and dry – a voice Sakura knew all too well. "Which isn't much."

Sakura stiffened in her seat, her back taut like a bowstring.

Shisui's chuckle did nothing to lessen her agitation, but his jab did take the edge off. "You're _actually_ taking a break? Hell must have frozen over."

Itachi sat beside his cousin, the black of his suit stretching over lean muscles. Sakura was tempted to join the banter just to appear nonchalant, but Itachi spoke again.

"Or someone texted me, threatening to leak naked photos of me all over the internet, if I didn't come to the cafeteria right now."

A façade of obliviousness spread over Shisui's features. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

It was then that shock wore off and Itachi's words finally registered in her mind. "_Naked_ photos?" Her eyes trailed over Itachi's body, instinctive response, and cursed memories resurfaced, skin-felt sensations, seeping inside to coil in a zesty mass low in her abdomen. It didn't help that everyone she knew and associated with kept reminding her that the man was hot – a fact that Sakura was intimately acquainted with. Shisui didn't make things easier either with his tendency to make really inappropriate jests with the worst timing ever.

"We can come to an arrangement if you are interested."

"I – I'm _not_…" Sakura gaped then bristled then pinned Shisui with a sullen glare. "Shisui-san!"

Before she could regain a sliver of composure another voice resounded in their midst, coated with a thick layer of surprise.

"Why are you all –?"

"Oh hey, Sasuke." Shisui's greeting was too natural, as if he was expecting him to appear at that exact moment, perhaps had even timed it as far as Sakura could guess. "Why didn't you tell me Sakura-chan was coming? No more free sessions for you."

A glare, ill-natured, aggressive. "Shut up." Sasuke made the circle and sat next to Sakura, placing his arm over her shoulders casually.

Shisui all but sighed. "I hope you're not treating Sakura-chan the same as me." Then his eyes found Sakura's again, sparked with something she didn't like. "So, now that Sasuke is here, tell us, Sakura-chan. What brings you here?"

There was no way Sakura could initiate the discussion she came here to have with Sasuke's whole family in the table. Her mind went into overdrive, hands clenching and unclenching, and she remembered the secondary reason for her visit right before she blanked out. "I just came…to return his keys. I forgot to…last night." Fishing the keys out of her purse, she passed them to Sasuke with nervous motions then stood up.

"Yeah, uh, I'm gonna go now." She didn't address anyone in particular, but none stood either way, not even Sasuke.

"It was nice seeing you, Shisui-san." She threw a tight-lipped smile his way then leaned to whisper in Sasuke's ear. "I'll call you later, Sasuke."

Sakura didn't even spare a glance in Itachi's way, but she could feel his gaze on the slope of her back, hot and heavy against her skin. She was already a few feet away when Shisui's voice rang behind her, mirth aplenty in his tone. "If you change your mind about those naked photos…"

Her cheeks reddened, but she didn't grace him with a reply, eyes glued on the exit door, ears barely catching Sasuke's perplexed question and Shisui's answering laughter.

"What naked photos?"

"You're too young to know."

* * *

Sakura paced back and forth, waiting for the bus, her thoughts a skein of distress. _Oh gods…what was that all about? Crazy… _She couldn't decide which was more disturbing – the likelihood of Sasuke's homosexuality, the scheming glint in Shisui's eyes, or the damned sexual awareness she now attached to Itachi. She chewed on her bottom lip, distracted, contemplating the bizarre turn her life had taken ever since she met Itachi – and as if summoned by reverse serendipity, he appeared.

"Get in. I'll take you back."

She blinked once, thought that perhaps she was hallucinating, but she wasn't. Bending at the waist, she peered inside the black Audi, confirmed the driver as Itachi, then sputtered.

"You…what?"

Itachi merely sighed, as if he was finding her reaction tedious and unnecessary.

"Just get in," he reiterated – and Sakura did. Just because.


	5. Chapter 5

Sasuke slashed Shisui with a penetrating stare after Itachi left their table, full of questions and suspicion.

"What was that all about?"

Taking a sip of his coffee, Shisui shrugged, a half-grin playing on his lips.

"Sakura-chan is just fun to tease, like you."

"Don't play dumb, Shisui."

Sasuke really didn't appreciate this particular trait of his cousin. Shisui couldn't care less, though.

"What do you want me to tell you, Sasuke?"

"I wanna know what the fuck is going on here. Itachi got up the second Sakura left – and not to return to his office."

"How very observant of you."

It rankled, Shisui's chuckle, how easily he brushed him aside, but what rattled Sasuke more was that everyone seemed to know something _he didn't_.

"Don't start, Shisui. Just tell me, is there something I should know about?"

Shisui leveled him with a hard stare, suddenly serious, which alarmed Sasuke, raised gooseflesh on his arms. Whenever Shisui chose to discard his usual persona, it never boded well for Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan is the one who deserves to know."

Sasuke's features crunched up in a grimace, his fears realized. He shook his head, cut Shisui off before his cousin dug any deeper than that, as he was known to do.

"Don't even go there."

"Then don't complain if Itachi does."

It was uttered so bluntly that it threw Sasuke off for a moment. A quizzical frown formed above his brows, and he reassessed his cousin's words in his mind, but couldn't make any sense of them no matter how many times he tried. Throwing in the towel, he resigned himself to simply ask, not expecting Shisui to give a straight answer, but having been left with no alternative.

"What's that supposed to mean? Go where?"

Shisui's grin burgeoned with twisted amusement, so much that Sasuke regretted ever asking, especially after hearing his cousin's reply.

"The place where you won't go but all men want to go."

With a wiggling of brows and a last chuckle, Shisui left Sasuke well and utterly stunned.

* * *

It had been almost ten minutes since Sakura had gotten into Itachi's car – ten minutes of silence, tension-filled, charged with apprehension. She had barely murmured the location of the hospital she worked at when he had asked, and that was basically it. Her eyes flitted towards him now and then, surreptitious glances, lasting no more than a breath's span. As much as she loathed to admit it, Itachi radiated raw appeal, culpable attraction – in the sharp angles of his profile, the rise and fall of his Adam's apple, the lines of his collarbones. His dress shirt stretched over his torso in ways that should be illegal, the white fabric taut, accentuating the muscles beneath. Sensational torture. His scent wafted in her nose, a mixture of spices and skin, rich and creamy and narcotic. Before she lost her mind to the lure of the man, Sakura parted the seam of her lips, and blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.

"He doesn't really have naked photos of you, does he?"

The moment those words left her mouth, she cursed herself inwardly, but she couldn't really blame herself. It was a miracle she hadn't revealed what was actually on her mind – not that Itachi couldn't guess. How his lips split, insidiously curved, told her he was aware of _everything_.

"Not sure, he might."

The way he phrased this was too casual, took Sakura aback. She frowned, stared at him with open confusion.

"You don't care?"

Itachi chuckled, the sound husky, more tempting than it should be. "Should I?"

"You're crazy." It came out as a huff, and he chuckled more, tilted his gaze towards her for one long, silent moment. Intense. Heat smeared on her skin, shivers and spasms, sultry blood in her veins, moisture in the juncture of her hips and thighs. Her lips trembled, and she licked them on instinct, bit into the swollen flesh. At this rate, they were going to have an accident – she almost prayed for one just to escape the lust in his eyes. It was making her gravitate toward things she really _shouldn't_ fantasize – like how his tongue would feel on –

A gasp emerged from her throat, almost a moan, desire-ridden. She glared at him, as if this was somehow his fault for being too damn irresistible. For a jackass.

"Why are you doing _this_?" His eyes eclipsed with all those things she shouldn't fantasize about, and realizing how that sounded, she hurried to clarify. "Giving me a ride, I mean." A little too late. A little too breathy.

"Do you really care to know?"

Low tones, provocation vociferated. Sakura felt muscles clenching inside, white-hot fire laving that cleft between her thighs, liquid heat. She really couldn't handle much more of this. Still, she tried to sound natural, willed her vocal cords to produce words and not moans – and she succeeded. Somewhat.

"I wouldn't ask otherwise."

Itachi's mouth curled, satisfaction and something else, taunt slathered on words. "What if you don't like my answer?"

That served to allay the burning sensations, rekindle her bite, tamed but still there, seething to break out. Her lips puckered in dismay as her blood cooled down, and she glared at him, this time without lust fogging her mind, drugging her anger.

"I don't like you much anyway."

His chest vibrated, rippling muscles, but no laughter came out, only a chuckle, whetting her senses, making her want _more_.

"Maybe that's why."

Sakura had enough by now – of his erotic chuckle, his lickable muscles, the _things_ he made her crave. Before she could halt her reply, it sprung out, unbidden, sullenly cynic.

"Are you some kind of masochist?"

And, then, _he laughed_ – and Sakura suffered a mini blackout which she would later recall as a mini orgasm.

"That would be you."

Indignation was her only salvation. She clung to the sentiment with a vice-like grip, smothered the coals of _want_ under it. "Excuse me?"

"Why else are you still clinging to my brother?" Itachi turned to stare at her, curiosity alloyed with mirth, pressing the breaks when the light turned red. Sakura felt like cursing whoever invented street lights. She refused to clash gazes with him, stared out the window glass at the pedestrians, clinging to her ire.

"I don't want to talk about matters of the heart with someone who doesn't have one."

"I do have one." If Sakura hadn't been distracted, she could have probably avoided what happened then. As it was, she felt long fingers circling her wrist then warm muscle against her palm, pulsating flesh under her skin.

"Don't be a smartas-" She bristled, struggled to retake possession of her hand, lest she gave in to wretched urges, but then something strange registered in her perception. She pressed her fingers on the side of his neck, searched for the quiet drum of his heart, ignoring all other sensations. Her eyes fell on her watch, suddenly focused, clinical, and she began counting silently.

"Are you taking my pulse?" Itachi sounded highly amused, but his voice was more of a distraction now, unwanted for other reasons.

"Sshh." She shushed him sternly, not even looking at him, then pulled her hands to her lap after a minute's pause, features drawn tight, speculative. "Yeah, I thought it was kinda slow. It is…actually."

"Which means what?"

"You're either very healthy or have a heart problem. Probably the former. You exercise a lot?"

Apparently, Itachi decided to humor her.

"One hour every day."

"That's it then. Athletic people have low heart rates." She gave him a short nod, satisfied with her conclusion. "But to be sure, have a check-up."

But something still didn't sit right with her, compelled her to be more thorough in her examination. "When do you find the time, though? Sasuke says you work like ten hours a day, even weekends."

"He talks about me much." It was more question than statement, laced with wry undertones. Sakura perceived it as such at least, all but snorted.

"All the goddamn time." A grimace distorted her face into something less pretty, and she idiotically answered in truth, forgetting with whom she was talking. "It came to the point where I feared it might run deeper than mere brother-complex. I even had a nightmare like that once."

Itachi's chuckle spilled into the small space between them, stroking her ears, places deep inside – and she shivered, cursed her loose tongue, but his retort made her jaw drop in shock, her body's reactions outright flaunted.

"You dreamt about two men having sex? Isn't that called a wet dream?"

She pinned him with a thunderous glare, green eyes afire. "How can you make a joke like that? He is your brother!"

"I wasn't the one having that dream." His smirk spoke louder than his words, brimmed with insinuation, made her skin flush and redden.

"It wasn't that kind of dream…exactly." Teeth bit the insides of her cheeks. Sakura shifted in her seat with discomfort, avoiding the snare of his eyes. It was a mistake. What he uttered next made her want to crawl into a hole deep in the ground and never come out again.

"Did you join or simply watched?"

But then rage took over, and she glared at him with defiance. He would not make her feel as if she had committed a sin simply because she couldn't control the insanity that dwelt in her subconscious mind.

"Why?" A smile tugged on the corners of her mouth, saccharine, dripping with mockery. Her lashes fluttered, her eyes gleamed with challenge, _too_ bold. "Does the idea turn you on?"

The car stopping stole her momentum, but that was merely the beginning. She watched quietly as he unfastened his seat belt, languorous motions, that fake smile freezing on her mouth. _He's not gonna…oh gods… please _don't_ – _

But _he did_. Itachi leaned close, his arm reaching for the door handle. His scent inundated the air she breathed, slid across her skin, spicier, thicker than before, and Sakura swallowed, tasted the man with each shallow intake. A _click _rang in her ears, the sound of the door opening, but it was lost on Sakura. Black eyes bored into hers, smelted coals, igniting a slow burn, rekindling the fires of need in her blood. One word smeared on the curve of her lips, dripping hot and slick, leaving nothing implied.

"Yes."

Sakura couldn't think, could do nothing but let her lips fall open, devour that word, the pleasure it held within. A stutter was all that came out of her mouth, thinly stretched, high strung, bordering on panic.

"I – I…need to get to work."

Then she felt it, vibrations against her tingling flesh, amusement lapping at her lips. Itachi leaned back in his seat, spared her the infection of his proximity but not of his chuckle. It didn't matter. Sakura's suspicion grew with each husky sound he made, slew the remnants of his aftertaste.

"Was that –?" She gawked at him, aghast, drenched in disbelief. "You did that on purpose."

"Disappointed?" The smirk that ridged his cheek made her eyes seethe with fury. A hiss tangled with her tongue, spilled out, venomous.

"You're more of a jackass than I thought!" Sakura got out of the car and slammed the door shut with as much force she could muster.


End file.
